Key deals reached to end CUPE educational worker strike

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on March 20, 2025.

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com

A province-wide strike of more than 6,000 CUPE educational support workers who hit the picket lines for higher wages beginning in January has concluded after all nine school divisions have reached settlements.

Wednesday, three final tentative agreements were reached with Foothills School Division, Black Gold School Division and Sturgeon School Division.

As of the time of publication there are now five ratified agreements between school districts and four tentative settlements that require a vote from local members.

Of the five ratified agreements, support workers are expected to return to schools at the Edmonton Public School District and Parkland School Division today.

Of the four tentative settlements still requiring a vote, the union expects workers with the Calgary Board of Education and Black Gold Division will return to work Monday.

However, local education support workers in Medicine Hat with the public school division are still without an agreement following a “bad faith bargaining” accusation filed by CUPE with the labour board.

Last week, educational assistants, clerical and custodial staff at Medicine Hat Public School Division voted in an Alberta Labour Board process, called for after a tentative agreement was signed off on by local union leaders within an hour of their dismal by national union officials.

Rory Gill, president CUPE Alberta said in a release that 235 out of 274 eligible members took part in a labour board-supervised voting on March 10 and 11. The result was a 79.1 per cent rejection of the proposal.

MHPSD superintendent Tracy Hensel said in a statement the district believes its offer represented “a fair and competitive package, addressing key concerns raised during negotiations.”

“We are prepared to return to the negotiating table with the union to better understand their concerns and find a mutually agreeable solution,” stated Hensel.

On Wednesday the provincial branch of the union kicked off its annual convention in Calgary that will wrap up tomorrow with an address by Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi.

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